Chapter 27

Laura's POV

With every ounce of willpower I had left, I twisted my body sharply, slipping beneath his arm in one swift motion. My heart pounded as I scrambled to the edge of the bed, putting much-needed space between us.

His dark eyes followed my movements, amusement flickering in their depths. His smirk remained, damn near infuriating, as he leaned back against the pillows, completely unbothered.

“Impressive,” he mused, stretching lazily, like a predator who knew the prey was still within reach. He reminded me of a cat lazily playing with a mouse. “I didn’t think you had it in you.”

I shot him a glare, my breath still uneven. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

His smirk widened. “Oh, I intend to find out.”

I exhaled sharply, willing my pulse to slow. This man was a menace. A walking, talking disaster wrapped in an infuriatingly attractive package.

He swung his legs over the bed and stood, rolling his shoulders with the kind of effortless confidence that made my stomach flip. His shirt clung to his broad frame, his movements fluid, controlled, like he was always five steps ahead.

He made his way toward the door, pausing just before stepping out. Then, with a slow turn of his head, he glanced at me over his shoulder, eyes glinting with wicked amusement.

“Sleep well, little bird.”

And just like that, he was gone.

I collapsed onto the bed, exhaling a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. My fingers curled into the sheets, my mind racing with everything that had just happened.

What the hell was I doing?

My body still hummed with the aftershocks of his touch, the ghost of his lips lingering against my skin. I hated how easily he got under my skin, how he made me react without even trying.

I needed to regain control. I needed distance. I was quickly losing myself in this freaking deal I had signed with the devil and it had just been a month!

Shaking off the lingering sensation of his touch, I pushed myself up and padded toward the bathroom. My reflection in the mirror was a mess, hair tangled, cheeks still flushed, lips slightly swollen from… I groaned, splashing cold water on my face.

I needed to snap out of it.

Reaching for a hair tie, I pulled my hair into a messy bun before grabbing the first comfortable outfit I could find, an oversized sweater and leggings.

Just as I finished slipping on my socks, a sharp knock echoed through the room.

I stiffened.

For a second, my stomach flipped at the thought of Kelvin returning. But no—he wouldn’t knock. He’d just waltz in like he freaking owned the place.

Another knock, followed by a familiar, teasing voice.

“Rise and shine, sleeping beauty!”

It was Katie.

I exhaled, relieved, and made my way to the door. The moment I pulled it open, Kelvin’s younger sister strolled in with all the confidence in the world, her lips curled into an all-knowing smirk.

“I see you’re still alive,” she mused, balancing a tray of food in her hands. “I half expected you to be buried under the covers, nursing a hangover and regretting your life choices.”

I rolled my eyes, stepping aside to let her in fully. “Good morning to you too, Katie.”

She set the tray on the small table by the window, her smirk deepening. “It’s almost noon, sweetheart.”

I blinked. Noon? Damn. That explained the pounding in my head.

Katie plopped onto the couch, crossing her legs like she had all the time in the world. “Brought you breakfast and, more importantly, my grandmother’s legendary hangover soup. You’ll thank me later.”

I eyed the steaming bowl suspiciously. “Does it taste as bad as it looks?”

She gasped dramatically. “How dare you? That ‘bad-looking’ soup has saved lives.”

I shook my head, but a small smile tugged at my lips as I sat down. Katie might have been a menace, but she was a thoughtful one.

“So,” she drawled, watching me with amusement. “You and my brother, huh?”

I nearly choked on my orange juice. “Excuse me?”

She grinned. “Oh, come on, Laura. You think I wouldn’t notice? He never spends the night in anyone’s room.” She leaned in, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “And yet, here I am, delivering you a post-Kelvin survival kit.”

I groaned, rubbing my temples. “It’s not like that.”

Katie arched a brow. “Mmm-hmm. Sure. Tell that to the way you’re blushing.”

I shot her a glare, but she just laughed, clearly enjoying my misery.

“Eat up,” she said, nudging the tray toward me. “You’ll need your strength if you plan on surviving whatever chaos my dear brother has planned next.”

I had a sinking feeling she was right.

I sighed, resigning myself to my fate as I picked up the spoon. The soup smelled… interesting. Hesitantly, I took a small sip, and the moment the thick liquid touched my tongue, my face scrunched up.

Katie burst into laughter. “I know, I know. It’s an acquired taste.”

“That’s one way to put it,” I muttered, forcing myself to swallow. The warmth spread through my chest, oddly soothing despite the initial assault on my taste buds.

I took a few more spoonfuls, my headache easing slightly. Maybe there was some magic in this terrible-tasting soup after all.

Katie smirked. “Told you. Now eat your food before you pass out. You look like death warmed over.”

Rolling my eyes, I reached for the toast and eggs, my stomach begrudgingly welcoming the meal.

As I chewed, Katie tapped her fingers against the couch, watching me with the kind of curiosity that made me nervous.

“So…” she started, dragging out the word.

I swallowed, already dreading where this was going. “So, what?”

She tilted her head. “Kelvin may be a stubborn pain in the ass, but he’s never like this with anyone. He actually stayed in your room? That’s a first.”

I shifted uncomfortably. “It’s complicated.”

Katie hummed, unconvinced. “I bet it is.”

Before she could pry any further, my phone vibrated on the nightstand. Grateful for the distraction, I grabbed it, but the moment I saw the caller ID, my stomach dropped.

It was my boss.

Crap.

I hesitated for half a second before answering. “Hello?”

“Laura, where the hell are you?” My boss’s sharp voice nearly made me wince. “We have a situation, and I need you in the office ASAP.”

I sat up straighter. “What kind of situation?”

“I don’t have time to explain over the phone. Just get here.”

The line went dead.

Well, that didn’t sound good.

Katie raised a brow. “Trouble in paradise?”

I sighed, already standing. “More like trouble at work.”